Former Boulder DA investigator writes JonBenet Ramsey book

James Kolar, a former lead investigator on the Ramsey case for the Boulder County District Attorney's Office, has written a book about the murder, disputing the intruder theory.
(
COURTESY
)

It's been almost 16 years since JonBenet Ramsey was found dead in her family's Boulder basement.

Now, James Kolar, a former lead investigator on the Ramsey case for the Boulder County District Attorney's Office, has written a book questioning the theory that an intruder was responsible for the 6-year-old's murder.

In "Foreign Faction: Who Really Kidnapped JonBenet?" Kolar draws upon his access to records, interviews, photos and video to make his argument against an intruder kidnapping JonBenet.

"My theory definitely went against an intruder," Kolar said. "There was strong physical evidence that discounted the intruder theory as it existed."

Kolar didn't say who he thinks killed JonBenet, who was found dead Dec. 26, 1996. Police initially suspected family members, but a grand jury investigating the case was dismissed without indictments in 1999, citing a lack of evidence.

The title of Kolar's book references the ransom note found in the Ramsey home, claiming to be written by a "small foreign faction."

Kolar had been in law enforcement for 28 years before being assigned lead investigator on the Ramsey case under former DA Mary Lacy in 2004. Lacy publicly supported the intruder theory.

But in his book, Kolar talks about how cobwebs and glass indicate the basement window where an intruder was thought to have entered was never opened, and markings on JonBenet's body were inconsistent with a stun gun some believed had been used in the kidnapping.

"I was kind of discouraged they didn't want to pursue things I thought should be looked at," Kolar said. "I was kind of discouraged the work I had done was not being received well."

In 2006, he returned to be chief of the Telluride Marshal's Department, the position he had held before going to the Boulder DA's office.

"I left with the understanding and impression that the DA's office was totally sold on the intruder theory in spite of the evidence I pointed to," he said.

Investigators have pointed to unmatched DNA found on JonBenet as evidence of an intruder. Kolar said it's "false hope to think DNA samples point to an actual perpetrator."

"Too many people have hung their hat on that," he said.

Kolar said he hoped fresh eyes on the case would lead to a breakthrough, even as he started writing the book three years ago.

"I was hoping this case would have been resolved, and this book would have been about how it was solved," he said. "Unfortunately, that is not how it's shaken out."

Kolar said he used his familiarity with the case to correct some common misconceptions about the case.

"I think the facts in this book will move perception closer to the truth," he said. "It's definitely a lot more revealing than what's been out there previously."

Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner said Kolar sent him a copy of the book, and he's read about 55 pages so far. Beckner was a commander in October 1997 when then-Chief Tom Koby assigned him to take over management of the Ramsey investigation.

Beckner said he doesn't think Kolar's theory will be new to anyone familiar with the case.

"I think, you know, if you go back to the history of this case, that has always been one of the theories of the case that has been investigated and been out there," Beckner said. "So I don't know why that is a surprise at this point."

Beckner said the Ramsey case remains open but is not actively being investigated. Detectives follow up on fresh tips occasionally or look at evidence again when someone comes up with a new idea on how to approach it, he said.

"I'd classify it as a cold case," Beckner said.

Beckner said he is not concerned by newly released material from the investigation -- including police video shot in the Ramsey basement shortly after JonBenet's murder that was posted by The Daily Beast on Wednesday -- because of the case's cold status.

District Attorney Stan Garnett said he is not specifically concerned about Kolar's book.

"One of the problems with the Ramsey case has been the extensive public debate in a very unfocused environment," he said. "So this is not any more significant than any of my concerns about public discussions of the Ramsey case."

Garnett said he has received a copy of the book but has not read it yet, "so I can't say if it is mainly speculation or not."

Kolar said he does not believe his book will add to the speculation or affect the investigation because he thinks the case will never be prosecuted.

"I don't believe this is a case that can be prosecuted," he said. "If I thought there was a chance that would be the case, I wouldn't be going public with this and I would be pushing the DA or the police chief to look into it."

Garnett said the case is a Boulder police investigation, and unless new evidence comes up, his office's priority must remain on current cases.

"We have a lot of very active and very important cases, and that is where I will continue to put my efforts," Garnett said. "From what I can tell, the people of Boulder County, who I represent, don't want to hear about this case unless I am able to file a case and press charges, which I'm not. So I'm not going to say anything about it.

"We're very interested in cold cases if we have evidence," he said. "We're not going to file charges on theories or books or people speculating back and forth, but is there admissible evidence, and I don't think there is in the Ramsey case."